Note: Has some swears :D

Tia's POV

Watching Lewis' expression as he is made to move forward...I want to scream. He stands directly in front of Simon, who is trying to back away, shaking like a leaf in the wind. Everyone, no exception now, is staring in shock at the famous duo, the pair of heroes, one of them being forced to kill the other. "If you interfere the deal is off" Ridgedog snickers, watching Lewis raise his sword intently. Trembling on the spot, I shake my head, repeating "No...no..." over and over again. This was too much. Making Sips kill Sjin and Rythian kill Zoey was one thing...but these two? That was just on another level. A level that I couldn't handle. 

Shooting forward, I grab hold of Lewis' sword, throwing it away. As soon as I touch the metal, the force holding everyone onto the board is broken, and everyone stumbles off the board. Pushing Lewis and Simon off the board with the others, both of them grab hold of each other, stumbling off the board to huddle with the others, cowering on the edge of the board. "The deal is off." Ridgedog grins, turning to Lewis, Simon and Duncan. All three of them are backing away, and, with something that no one has ever seen, everyone goes to stand in front of them. Protecting them. Rythian was trying to protect DUNCAN. Two enemies, united in the fear of Ridgedog's rule. 

The people who had died appeared too, instantly going to stand next to their partners. Nilesy and Panda, Sips and Sjin, Zoey and Rythian. I couldn't stand by and watch them sacrifice themselves for nothing. Ridgedog was still grinning, playing some sadistic game of "eeny, meeny, miny, moe", picking who was going to be the first to be tortured. His hand pointed at Simon.

Diving in front of his gaze, I became the final protector, another barrier in the way. I glare at him, determination making my hands ball into fists. "Move" he snaps, reaching out to grab me. I grab his hand and forcefully shove my own fist into his face, causing his nose to break. The sickening crack and the trickle of blood pouring out of it, and the grunt he lets out excites me. I had made him bleed! Cracking the nose back into place, he grabs hold of me with two hands by the neck, pulling me up into the air. "Right, you little bitch." Gagging, my foot flies out, connecting with his stomach. He yells, clutching it before slamming his elbow into my face. I fly back into the group, knocking many people over. Scrambling to my feet, I gesture at the wall with my hand, making a large hole appear. "GO!" I scream at them all, turning round to accept the demigod's challenge as he charges towards me, fury in his eyes. This was it, I think, preparing myself. 

"JUST GO!" I yell one more time, watching them all disappear out of the hole. Simon is crying, reaching towards me, but Lewis drags him through the hole, nodding grimly at me before running. Duncan nods at me too, hesitating before sprinting through. Many of them turn back and I turn round and get hit with what feels like a truck. I fly backwards, catching myself on the slippery, bloody quartz, before slipping onto the floor. Blood is imprinted on my hands and I fly upwards, in a vain attempt of showing off, punching him in the face. He grabs hold of my neck in a headlock, trying to snap my neck, but I lower my head and bite his hands roughly. I don't stop, even when I taste blood that isn't mine, I only amuse myself hearing his yell of surprise and pain as he yanks his hand away from him. I was stronger than I realized, and he realized it too. Grabbing hold of his auburn hair, I slam his perfect face into the obsidian. 

I slam it over and over again, relishing every crack I hear and grinning at every groan and gurgle of blood he spits out. Tired, I slump against him, gasping for breath after the sudden rush of violence. He's panting too. "You...put up...a good...fight." he pants. I can hear the clicking and knitting of his skin, furiously attaching itself back together again as the demigod cells fix his wounds. My own cells work too, but sluggishly. I put my whole weight on him, keeping my hand in his hair so I could smash it again if need be. "You...too" I gasp, suddenly aware of my aching muscles and pain reverberating in my body. "But not good enough" he says suddenly, his voice no longer hoarse. I can see some people outside of the hole, far away, but close enough to see Ridgedog underneath me, blood slowly being sucked back inside his wounds. 

Suddenly, jerks of electricity zoom through my veins, causing me to yell and spasm. I almost find the time to face palm. I forgot-he didn't need to use his body to cause pain. He stops the pain when I start screaming, crawling on top of me, pinning me down with his hands. "How does it feel to know that you're going to die?" he taunts, eyes almost shimmering with insanity. I simply shut my eyes and think of happy thoughts. Think of Duncan, and being his apprentice. Think of Simon and how we always used to blow things up together. Think of Lewis and how he used to teach me stuff and get comically frustrated when I failed to understand. Think of Sip and Sjin, arguing about who's Ranium it was. A smile of acceptance rises onto my mouth as I feel him draw a knife from his belt. 

"Happy" I reply. Happy that I was going to leave soon, no more pain for me. I would be in heaven, or hell maybe. Either way, as long as I never had to see Ridgedog again or take the pain he gave me. Opening my eyes, I meet Ridge's gaze, which is strangely hesitant. "You gonna kill me or are you waiting for Christmas?" I say sarcastically. I smile again. My last words were sarcasm. That was something I was happy about. Mocking the demigod before I die, too. What a bonus! I felt like I was going insane. Was I insane? I didn't know. Maybe. Could be. It was his fault.

But then I stop. Something inside me, a little bundle of hope, began to glow. I had so much to do. So much to see. He'd taken three years of my life. In my eyes, I was already dead. Being a quartgod HAD made me be reborn. I could explore the world in ways I could never of dreamed of before. Become a hero. Go and work with the Voxelbox, and learn more about the world. Learn how to become a better person. I needed to do so many things. Dying wasn't one of them. 

I shake off Ridgedog's arm, who seems to have gone into some sort of trance. Reaching up with one arm, I touch the scars on the side of his face. Smiling, I say some last words. "I've got some stuff to do. Bye Ridge" I say, before I blast the power I had been working on for a long time into him, making him yell in shock and fly backwards into the air. Taking my chance, I float into the air, and zoom off through the hole and into the forest. 

He didn't follow me, I realize. I could only hope he didn't torture Simon, Lewis and Duncan. Only hope they managed to hide, or get away. Glancing backwards, I prop my feet onto the forest floor, and begin to wander in random directions. I was savouring my freedom. Knowing I was finally aloud to be free. The games were over. 

I hear some bushes shake and I pause before melting into the shadows. The boy who spied on our island is there, his spiky hair almost as pristine as Ridgedog's. He seems to be smiling down at a diamond axe, and seems to have a large backpack on his back with a map in it. Moving forward, he freezes at the noise of my advance, eyes snapping up, gripping the axe tighter. "Fancy seeing you here." I say, moving out of the shadows into the afternoon sunlight filtering gently through the canopy of evergreen leaves.